


Vignettes of Beleriand: Lessons Learned

by Anna_Wing



Series: Vignettes of Beleriand [2]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-15
Updated: 2014-05-15
Packaged: 2018-01-24 22:00:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1618526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anna_Wing/pseuds/Anna_Wing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caranthir learns from bitter experience.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vignettes of Beleriand: Lessons Learned

Caranthir surveyed his new home, pleased. The site was excellently defensible, being a peninsula jutting out into the chilly depths of Lake Helevorn. Walls had been raised on all sides, rising sheer from the dark waters, with a heavily fortified gatehouse on the landward side and successive lines of defences behind. The newly-planted trees were already showing their spring buds; building work had finished on the kitchens, armouries, workshops, fish and livestock pens, herb and vegetable gardens and other necessities of a well-planned fortress. Caranthir rather thought that even Curufin would be impressed.

One important thing remained. He had already made the arrangements with the local Laiquendi, whom he had cultivated with care. The trip up north that he had organised for their leaders had been particularly useful. The meeting with Maedhros, Himring's hospitality and the cautious, heavily-armed reconnaisance across Ard-Galen to show them Thangorodrim had been very persuasive. They were as helpful as could be desired and the joint border patrols were already running well. 

Every fortress, however strong, also needed to have an escape secured for emergencies. Caranthir, the acknowledged pessimist of the family, had taken that into account too.

"I don't care what the weather is like," he said to his glum lieutenants. "Tomorrow morning everyone who can't swim is going to begin lessons and everyone who can is going to learn to sail. And when summer comes we're all going to learn boat-building. We’re not depending on other people for transport, ever again."


End file.
